Chennai, June 2 (IANS) PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the Tamil Nadu government to emulate Karnataka and raise the legal minimum age for purchasing tobacco products, including cigarettes, from 18 to 21 years.

In a statement , Anbumani highlighted that Karnataka had amended the relevant provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 — a Central legislation — to increase the age limit and enhance penalties for violations.

These changes have come into effect following Presidential assent.

Anbumani Ramadoss, who served as Union Health Minister when COTPA was first introduced, emphasised that increasing the legal age is critical in reducing long-term tobacco addiction.

“Those who begin smoking at a young age are more likely to continue the habit throughout their lives. Raising the age to 21 can play a major role in curbing initiation,” he said.

Citing international examples, he noted that over 20 countries, including France, Austria, Canada, Bhutan, Belgium, and Brazil, have implemented stringent tobacco control laws.

“In India, nearly 12 crore people use tobacco, and around 13 lakh people die every year due to tobacco-related diseases,” he said.

A recent WHO study, Anbumani added, shows that 25 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women above the age of 18 in India are smokers — a trend that demands urgent policy intervention.

He also reminded that a draft law was framed in 2021 to raise the smoking age nationwide to 21, but it has not yet been implemented.

The PMK leader expressed concern over the Tamil Nadu government’s ineffective enforcement of existing public smoking bans and called for more proactive measures.

“Tamil Nadu is not even enforcing the current ban on smoking in public places properly. The state government, along with the Centre, should consider increasing the legal age by one year annually so that India can gradually move towards becoming a smoke-free nation,” he urged.

Anbumani Rmadoss concluded his appeal by calling on the Tamil Nadu government to prioritise the health of its youth and adopt stricter tobacco control regulations in line with global best practices.

--IANS

aal/pgh